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Friday, July 30, 2010

My mother-in-law has been in the hospital since Monday with a bad infection--basically, an untreated ear infection gone septic. She's had it for, oh, I don't know--4 weeks now. Heather told her to get it treated when they met at Mass on Sunday, and Mom agreed--but ended up calling the ambulance because she couldn't walk.

The first kicker--we didn't find out until yesterday. The good news is that she was the one calling to inform us. She seemed better, if weak, yesterday. She was eating and able to hold it down.

The other kicker is that she is going to have to be in for another week to ten days for continued IV antibiotics and physical rehab--she's too weak to walk now. After she is discharged, she will need another 3-5 weeks of IV antibiotic as well.

Finally, you Michiganders may have heard about the plane that went down in Lake Michigan as it was taking a patient to the Mayo Clinic. It took off from my hometown's airport, and our family knew everyone on the plane. I worked for co-pilot Earl Davidson's construction company one summer back in college, and Dr. Hall was the father of one of my friends in high school and my sister-in-law's physician. They were both fine, community-minded men, and my Mom and Dad speak well of the Pavliks and Jerry Freed, the only survivor. It's torn a hole in the heart of my birthplace, so prayers and good thoughts are welcome there, too.

Well, it's not like I haven't been busy. We successfully acquired the larger house, the 1720 sq. footer I mentioned waaay back in April. It passed the inspection and the neighborhood examination quite well. It's quiet, and festooned with Lawn Nazis (I mean that in the best possible sense of the phrase, of course). My car insurance is even cheaper, which is nice.

Have I mentioned that I hate moving even more than househunting?

The upshot is, we closed at the end of May and are still moving in. We've lived at the address for the better part of two weeks, but there's still some stuff left to move from the old place, which then will go on the "market." With ten-plus empty properties within a quarter mile of the same street, I'm not at all confident. But, enough gloom. My wife and children now have room to breathe and grow, and I'm happy with that.

So, I have a good excuse for not posting anything, and apologies for slow e-mail responses, too. I'll get back on the horse over the next week or so, including book reviews [esp., yes, "Taint in the Blood," which involves horrifying, as opposed to cuddly, shape-shifters and vampires. Including one named "Dale," I'm sorry to report. :)]